Right Hand Women
by yellowpeggy
Summary: The Schuyler Sisters navigate love, affairs, and breakups while staying together- (This is an AU in which the sisters do not move away- I’m looking at you, Angelica and Peggy- and instead stay together. It also changes some aspects of the story.) This is purely fiction, so don’t question if some of the details are off. I will try to portray the characters accurately though!
1. chapter 1

Angelica had begun to get courted.

Eliza and Peggy first heard about it when she flew into their room, cheeks flushed from exertion and hair wild.

"Peggy, Eliza, you'll be shocked to hear this, but a Mr. John Church has written to me!" she had said.

Peggy stood up. "Really? That would be perfect! Especially with the ball coming up! Oh, just imagine, you could share your first dance with him..."

Eliza had simply closed her book and smiled up at Angelica. "It was bound to happen- you're very beautiful."

Angelica shook her head, and sat down on the bed, pulling Peggy with her. She reached over to Eliza and took her hand as well as Peggy's. "I do not know if I prefer to be courted or alone."

Angelica Schuyler was plenty brilliant, and what she lacked in looks was made up for in smarts. She had fluffy dark brown hair and smooth brown skin, but preferred to cover her skin in powder rather than go naturally.

She wore wigs rather than her real hair, so her appearance ended up slightly odd, as she had shiny silver curls and powdered-down dark skin.

But her intelligence was high, and for that reason, she preferred not to be courted— men liked dumbed-down women, and Angelica could not seem to hold her tongue around particularly dim men.

Peggy faked a gasp. "Really, Angelica? We didn't know."

Eliza said nothing, and kept listening to her older sister.

Angelica paid no notice to them. "But he matches me in smarts. I am not attracted to him at all, actually, and I see him as only a friend."

Peggy shrugged. "I don't see a problem with that. As long as you would have a successful marriage, and of course have plenty riches!"

Angelica smiled wearily. "Don't worry, he has something going for him money-wise."

Eliza chose this point to break in. "But Angelica, don't you see? If you don't love him, what's the point of marriage?"

Eliza Schuyler wasn't as witty as Angelica, but she was a truly kind soul, and she tried to extend her kindness to all. Needless to say, she did have standards that were rather high— she was a Schuyler sister, how could she not?

But Eliza was in general more forgiving than her sisters. She had long brown locks, but, like Angelica, wore her hair in a wig on fancy party nights. On those nights, Eliza powdered her face so thickly that it was impossible to see any color in her cheeks, but that was only on orders of her mother Catherine.

Otherwise, Eliza wore simple, modest gowns. She was not jealous of her sisters, who tended to shine more than her- rather, she was proud of them. She would rather be in the shadows, highlighting their best parts and maybe even be seen as a beautiful accessory, something to make the Schuyler sisters stand a little taller.

Angelica didn't answer, but Peggy did!

"For money and status, of course! Obviously, you must be able to at least tolerate each other, and it's amazing if you are able to have a true friendship or love, but the point of marriage is a successful partnership that you can hold for life. It's about achieving goals, not love," the youngest Schuyler sister said.

Peggy had been blessed with the beauty of a goddess, as if Aphrodite herself had come to Earth in the form of Angelica and Eliza's sister. On fancy nights, Peggy always wore the most fancy dresses, and the least amount of powder, because she simply didn't need it. Her cheeks shone with a bright highlight, and the only place she wore powder was her nose and the apple of her cheeks to hide any of her blush.

Of course, she spread tiny amounts of powder to cover her face just to make it whiter, but not much. Unlike her sisters, Peggy didn't need a wig, so she would put her hair up in an elaborate twist and allow the rest of her hair to trail out in a few curls.

Peggy was not as sharp-tongued as Angelica or as sweet as Eliza, but her beauty did not define her- she was very loyal as well, and she had been taught that that was what marriage was for. So of course, Peggy stood by it.

Angelica nodded, absorbing her sisters' opinions. "Thank you," she said.

Eliza could tell she needed time to think, so she stood up and left the room after telling them she was going to see her mother about a new dress- her old cotton one had gotten stained with grass mysteriously.

Peggy hugged Angelica. "Do tell us what you decide," she said. Angelica nodded in response. Peggy took that as her cue to leave, and dutifully swept out of the room to talk to Dot about the ball.

Angelica sighed and rested her head in her hands. Which was better— freedom or legacy?


	2. Ball Prep

Dot was having a particularly stressful day.

It was the day of the ball and she had precisely four hours to get every Schuyler sister ready.

Peggy sat, back straight, eyes closed as she let Dot coat her face with powder. Though Peggy was a natural charmer, tonight her mother insisted she take the extra step to look as pale as possible.

So Peggy, not wanting to cause a ruckus, was now perched on top of a stool while her lady's maid rubbed powder on her cheeks and nose.

She refused to wear a wig, so her hair had been piled on top of her head and teased until it was nearly three feet tall.

Dot finally finished with Peggy's powder, and made a small adjustmet to her hair, tucking a loose brown curl behind her ear.

"Good," the maid said happily. "You are presentable."

Peggy simply nodded to her servant, and adjusted her dress.

When Dot finished with Peggy, she brushed into Angelica's sitting-chamber. Angelica, to her credit, had already powdered her face. She fit the beauty standard— though her skin was darker, it was so thickly coated with make-up that it shone like the Greeks'.

Dot had little to do with her, so she brushed some tint onto Angelica's plump lips and helped her into her dress.

She fit the shiny, silver wig onto Angelica's head, stuck a small pin into it to keep it in place, and admired her handiwork.

So now Dot had to do the difficult work: Eliza.

When Dot knocked on Eliza's door, the girl said, "No, Dot, I will not wear the dress."

"Miss Eliza!" the lady's maid pleaded.

Eliza sat cross-legged with arms crossed inside her quarters, in a cross mood.

"Miss Eliza!" Dot said again.

Eliza groaned, knowing Dot would be punished if she didn't get Eliza ready fast. She took heavy steps forward and swung the door open.

Eliza let Dot lead her to the stool, sit her down, and brush coating onto her face. She internally sighed, but knew she couldn't move as the other woman tinted her lips and helped her into her gown.

Eliza had to look gorgeous tonight, and she did not want to. She was not interested in marrying, and looking pretty would attract the attention of suitors who would surely flirt with her. But Eliza and Dot were as close to friends as one could get with their servant, and Eliza preferred not to let her friends get told off by her mother.

So Eliza let Dot prick and preen at her until she was ready.

When Dot heard Mrs. Schuyler's footsteps, she ushered Eliza out the door, where Peggy and Angelica were waiting. Eliza hurried to join her sisters in a line to show off to their mother.

Peggy, always the star, stood in front of her sisters. She was breathtaking, with her skin powdered so white that her face, neck, and breasts shone in the light.

Her hair looked soft and shiny, and her lips brought out the contrast of her pale skin. Peggy's eyes were dark yet sparkling, and she held her head high. waist was made smaller by a corset.

The gown was gorgeous as well: it was a soft green color with embroidered little red flowers running up the sleeves and brushing the hem of the skirt. It had a square neckline, and the shoulders were plaited with a gold design. The skirt of the gown was huge, and it gave Peggy the effect of floating.

Mrs. Schuyler pinched Peggy's sleeve. "Good," she said simply.

Peggy whirled away and stood beside Dot, skirts flying as she moved.

Angelica stood tall in a dress made of every shade of red. Her skin was as pale as the moonlight, and her lips were bright red to match her dress. She wore golden necklaces and a see-through shawl— not enough to reveal what was underneath it, just enough to make you wonder. Her gown was shimmering and iridescent, and had an intricate pattern on one of the sleeves made of a shiny gold overcoat.

Mrs. Schuyler's lips curled upwards in a tight smile.

She nodded.

Angelica moved out of the way so that Eliza could be seen-

Eliza, however, moved too fast, and her dress caught on the door and in a flash, a large piece of fabric ripped off of the door and the middle Schuyler sister was sprawled out across the floor.

Her dress had been torn into pieces, but even worse was the fact that there was only ten minutes before the guests would arrive.

Mrs. Schuyler glared down at her. "Dot," she said, teeth gritted.

The maid jumped. "Yes?"

"Get her ready now."

Dot's day had gone from bad to horrible.


	3. Hamilton Appears

Dot rushes Eliza back into her room. "Miss Eliza.." She turned to look at Eliza, and was surprised to see that the girl's eyes were shining.

"Dot, this is exactly what I had hoped for! Now I don't have to wear that dress!" Eliza said happily. She flew to her closet and found a simple tan gown made of silk, with linen cream bows and gold trimmings decorating it. Eliza slipped the dress on over her corset, and adjusted her shoes. "Quickly, Dot, adjust my hair again."

The maid hurried to obey, tucking any stray curls back into their spots. She surveyed Eliza, and decided that yes, this was a good enough look.

Eliza beamed at Dot. "Thank you!" She opened the door and stepped outside, where Angelica and Peggy were waiting anxiously for her.

"Come now, sister," Angelica said. She took Peggy's smooth, white hand and Eliza's creamy, pale one and began to descend the staircase.

Before they had reached the bottom of the spiraling staircase, they heard men's voices.

Two men stood, talking animatedly about something.

Angelica's eyes lit up, she could smell politics. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, she swept up to them, taking her sisters with her.

And that day was the day the Schuyler sisters met Alexander Hamilton.

 **A/N- this is a filler chapter as I am going to be on a plane today, and I wrote this in the car. Sorry for the inconvenience!**


End file.
